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Navy Astronaut Brown Interred at Arlington Cemetery

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2003  Navy Capt. (Dr.) David M. Brown, 43, was interred today at Arlington National Cemetery, the third of three space shuttle Columbia astronauts so honored in recent days.

Seven astronauts died Feb. 1 when the Columbia broke up while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere after a 16-day mission. Investigation into the disaster is ongoing.

Brown will be laid to rest beside crewmates Navy Capt. (Dr.) Laurel Blair Salton Clark and Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson near the cemetery's Challenger Space Shuttle Memorial. Services for Anderson were held March 7 and for Clark, March 10.

President Bush, attending a Feb. 4 memorial service in Houston, described the Columbia crew and all who brave the dangers of space flight as "the best among us." The nation was "blessed to have such men and women serving in our space program," he declared, noting the program would continue.